WD Intros New MyPassport Edge External HDD Line

Western Digital has added a new line of external hard drives to its My Passport series called My Passport Edge. Sporting an ultra-compact design, they pack top-notch features like USB 3.0 SuperSpeed connectivity, auto backup, password protection, and hardware encryption. The company offers both a PC and Mac version, the latter of which is compatible with Apple's Time Machine.

"The My Passport Edge (PC-version) portable hard drive incorporates WD SmartWare continuous and automatic backup software to create a copy of users’ computers’ content to ensure personal digital files are backed-up and protected in the event of computer loss or theft," WD said. "For a sleek look, the My Passport Edge was also re-engineered with a new design for a premium finish."

According to the specs, the external drive measures 3.21 x 4.34 x 0.50-inches, and weighs 0.30 pounds. Currently WD is only offering a 500 GB model, packing a max transfer rate of 5 Gb/s across a USB 3.0 connection. An external power supply isn't needed, as the drive gets the juice it needs through a desktop or laptop's USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 port. The enclosure is highly durable and is designed to compliment laptop and desktop computers

"We know that people who bring personal and business content along with them on their travels are concerned with portability and with maintaining privacy while also protecting their data. WD's new My Passport Edge portable drives for Mac and PC offer mobile users a safe, compact, attractive way to conveniently work or play anywhere life or business may take them," said Jim Welsh, executive vice president and general manager of WD's branded products and consumer electronics groups.

My Passport Edge ($109.99) and My Passport Edge for Mac ($119.99) 500 GB portable hard drives come with a 3-year limited warranty and are available on the WD store at www.wdstore.com and at select retailers and distributors.